Chapter 67
Naruto extended his hand, concentrating his glower at the quiescent appendage. "Come on, come on..." He groaned as Kurama's chakra flickered down his arm into the vague outline of a claw before it fizzled out. "This is harder than it looks!"
Yugito sat under the shade of a tree nearby, her dark eyes distant. She rested one hand on the hilt of Samehada, the legendary sword she had claimed from Kisame, still unused to its peculiar vibrations. Killer Bee was nowhere to be seen, off "wrestling the local megafauna to reaffirm the hierarchy," apparently.
"Any advice?" Naruto called to her, shaking his hand spastically, as if it were numb.
Yugito blinked and focused on him, her expression calm but slightly amused. "It's not something I can really teach you, Naruto. I channel Matatabi's chakra into myself and will it to take the shape I envision in my mind's eye. It takes dedicated practice and exceptional shape manipulation." She raised her hand, and her fingers shimmered, at first being enveloped in the red and transparent Chakra Cloak before the chakra coalesced into a more tangible, yet still ethereal, paw. "Like this."
"That's so cool! Naruto stared, his jaw slightly agape. He studied Yugito's metamorphic paw, eyes narrowed into studious slits. "I think I've got it!" He sat with his legs intercrossed and focused, pulling on what he envisioned to be a loose thread from the chakra pool he now shared with Kurama. There was a flicker of orange light, and when he opened his eyes again, a massive, clawed fox hand extended from his arm.
"Aha!" Naruto grinned, shooting her a thumbs up with the enormous fox claw.
"That's annoying," she said with a twitch of her eye. Yugito shook her head, though her lips pressed into a faint smile. "But also impressive. Soon enough, you'll master the complete transformation, thereby making the mountain of my life's effort into another measly molehill on your journey."
Naruto shook his head and met her eyes. He knew her words were framed to be a joke, but he could sense the underlying pain, the misplaced inadequacy. He thought of mentioning his—and his hundreds of shadow clone's—experience with shape manipulation, his signature Rasengan an exemplar of his penchant. But he recognized too much of Sasuke in her; she wouldn't want his pity, she would likely resent it.
"You don't need to tell me I'm awesome," Naruto grinned wryly. "But I did have some pretty great teachers." The light of his smile almost seemed to reflect in his eyes.
Yugito stared quizzically at the strange man. He was a living contradiction, Naruto. The boy, who had only just turned seventeen, was at once boisterous and boasting, while also retaining an inexplicable enigma, his typical bluster belying his underlying empathy and insight.
"I'm beginning to see why Sasuke is so fond of you," she admitted, her accent thick as she appeared to chew on her words," It is difficult at first, you see, to imagine such a serious person tolerating your presence."
"Thanks," Naruto barked in laughter. "I think? That's such a Sasuke thing to say, by the way—you really do remind me of him sometimes. It also took him a while to figure out that he liked me."
"Please, Sasuke and I are nothing alike," she dismissed him and turned away in a broody pout—a pouty brood? Either way it didn't serve to help evince the point she was trying to make, as it was an expression that the angsty Uchiha would often wear himself. She continued, tossing her braid over her shoulder with an emphatic aplomb, "I am much funnier, you see? He wouldn't know humor if it kidnapped him for his genetic breeding stock."
Naruto stared at her oddly for a protracted moment before a grin bisected his face. He stifled his uproarious laughter. "You've got an… interesting sense of humor, I'll give you that. But that's definitely better than no sense of humor, so you're not wrong."
Yugito rolled her eyes and simply said. "Get back to me when you can transform into Kurama, newbie."
"And then they'll let us join the war, right?" Naruto's excitement was palpable, his fox claw dissolving and retracting as he clenched his once again human fists.
Yugito's smile faded. "They're not going to let us fight unless it's the worst-case scenario, Naruto."
"We could help stop that worst-case scenario from happening, Yugito. Keep our friends safe. Keep everyone safe." Naruto's downcast face stilled, his expression hardening.
"I know," she said quietly. Yugito sighed and looked away. She understood his frustration all too well. Being a Jinchuriki meant always being treated as a weapon or a liability, never trusted to make their own choices.
Later that day, Killer Bee returned, his grin as wide as ever. "Yo, Naruto! Got visitors, my guy. Some friends from your village dropped by—Aoba, and Might Guy!"
Naruto's face lit up. "Aoba and Guy-sensei are here?!" He immediately entered Sage Mode, reaching out with his heightened consciousness to sense their energy. Sure enough, he felt the familiar unbridled presence of the energetic taijutsu master and the quieter, steady chakra of Aoba. But something else caught his attention—something off about the Samehada resting against the tree next to Yugito.
Naruto narrowed his eyes at the sword, his senses prickling. The sword shuddered with what seemed like anticipation. "Wait... something's not right—"
Before he could finish, the Samehada's quiet shutter became a violent tremor. Suddenly, Kisame Hoshigaki burst out from within the blade, his shark-like grin wide as ever.
"Miss me?" Kisame said mockingly, his voice dripping with menace.
Yugito jumped to her feet, grabbing the sword's hilt, only for it to shake loose from her grip and fly into Kisame's expectant hand. Killer Bee immediately entered his partial transformation, his skin taking on the oxen-like features of Gyuki as he began to expand. Naruto prepared a Senjutsu-instilled Rasengan, his toad-like eyes affixed to the supposedly dead member of Akatsuki.
Kisame glanced at the three of them, his smirk faltering slightly. "Three fully-realized Jinchuriki, huh? Looks like I've overstayed my welcome." He flashed them a toothy grin and dashed backward, his body, imbued with the Demon Chakra that Samehada took from Yugito, unnaturally fast as he retreated toward the ocean.
"Get back here!" Naruto shouted, a flickering red Chakra Cloak coalescing around his frame as he made to give chase, but Killer Bee grabbed his arm with his tentacled arm.
"Let him go, lil' bro. He's slippery, but we'll catch him, ya know?" Bee's grin returned, though his eyes remained sharp.
Yugito frowned, gripping her arm where the sword had burned her skin. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot." She clenched her fists until her knuckles became white as the three of them watched Kisame retreat into the water, his chakra signature flickering but still potent. "If he gets away, it won't just be him coming back. Tobi will come for us. His space-time ninjutsu could bring an entire army to this island in an instant."
"Good. Let them come. We'll take them all down." Naruto cracked his knuckles, his eyes blazing with determination.
Killer Bee chuckled, an ambiguous grin spreading across his face. "Yo, lil' bro's got spirit, no doubt. But are you ready for what this is all about?"
Yugito glanced at Bee, her brows furrowing. Something about his tone unsettled her. "Bee," she said cautiously, "you didn't... want him to get away, did you?"
Bee shrugged nonchalantly, but his grin didn't waver. "Sometimes the current takes you places you don't expect, Yugito. Let's just catch the big fish before we start throwin' shade and going places we regret, you know."
"No time for riddles! Let's go!" Naruto, impatient as ever, leaped onto the water's surface, his chakra radiating as he maintained his Jinchuriki cloak about his form. The potent chakra, somewhere between orange and blood red, swirled around him like ethereal armor.
Yugito sighed but followed suit, her own feline chakra cloak rippling to life. Bee transformed as well, Gyuki's chakra enveloping him in an oxen-like visage. The three shot across the water as if fired from a cannon, their acceleration generating a sonic wave as they pursued Kisame.
Kisame glanced over his shoulder, his teeth gritted in frustration. "Persistent brats," he muttered, his grip tightening on Samehada. "Fine, if it's a fight they want—"
Before he could finish, a green blur exploded into view, landing on the water with enough force to send waves rippling outward. Kisame skidded to a halt, his shark-like features twisting into a surprised grin. He raised the broad side of his enormous blade to block a flying kick, adjusting his purchase on the blade's handle and forcing the green-clad shinobi to flip backwards into a Taijutsu stance. His eerily voluminous eyebrows—which writhed and wriggled on his forehead as if alive themselves—accentuated the peculiarity of his haircut and manner of dress.
"Heh, a rematch, then?" Kisame said, clearly annoyed but masking it with his bravado. He was still recovering from his previous battles with Kimimaro and Yugito, and he didn't like his odds against such overwhelming numerical advantage. "I was wondering if I'd ever get my chance to kill you."
Might Guy blinked, his expression quizzical. "Have we met before?"
"Seriously? You don't remember me?" Kisame's grin dropped, replaced with a deadpan glare.
Guy tilted his head. "Hmm... Sorry, I don't recall. But no matter! If you're here to harm my friends, I'll stop you!"
Kisame sighed, clearly irritated. "You're more annoying than I remembered."
The two clashed with a ferocity that left Naruto, Yugito, and Bee momentarily stunned. Kisame swung Samehada in wide arcs, the massive blade screeching as it clashed with Guy's deft nunchaku strikes. Guy moved with a speed that seemed to defy natural law, his strikes calculated and unrelenting. Kisame matched him blow for blow, but it was clear he was struggling to keep up.
Guy grinned, his aura flaring. "You're strong, but I've gotten stronger since we last met! Let me show you the true power of unrestrained youth! Time to open the Sixth Gate!"
An aura of green and red energy exploded around Guy as he instantly activated six of the Eight Inner Gates. The water beneath him vaporized under his feet, unable to resist the sheer intensity of his growing chakra. Kisame barely had time to react before Guy closed the distance, landing a devastating kick to his midsection. Kisame was sent flying, crashing into the water with a force that sent shockwaves across the surface. He coughed up blood, struggling to rise as Guy landed gracefully nearby.
"It's over," Guy declared, his voice steady but firm. "Surrender now, and you'll be spared further pain."
Kisame chuckled weakly, his sharp teeth stained with blood. "Not bad, bushy-brow. But don't think this is the end."
Before Kisame could make his move, Yugito and Bee stepped forward, the oppressive weight of their jinchuriki cloaks tangible. Naruto joined them, a brilliant red and blue Rasengan forming in one hand. They weren't taking any chances.
Naruto, Yugito, Bee, and Guy surrounded Kisame, their expressions ranging from anger to curiosity. Kisame, beaten and bloodied but still grinning with that same predatory confidence, leaned against Samehada for support. The waves lapped against his legs as if eager to pull him under.
"You've got some explaining to do," Naruto said, his voice laced with irritation but also curiosity. "Why are you alive, and still with Akatsuki? And who the hell is this supposed Madara Uchiha to you?"
Kisame laughed, coughing up blood in the process. "Why not start with a thank you? After all, I gave you a good workout, didn't I?" He glanced at Guy, who frowned but said nothing.
"Enough stalling. Talk. Or the next thing you feel will be my claws." Yugito stepped forward, flickering, red wisps of Demon chakra making her form appear encased in an ominous flame.
Kisame raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin never wavering. "Fine, fine. Where to begin? Let's see... I grew up in the Bloody Mist, a place where killing your comrades was a rite of passage. My entire life was built on lies—loyalty, comradeship, trust. All of it, a façade."
"I killed my own squad under orders. Orders I never once questioned." His eyes darkened, his voice losing its usual humor, "For the 'greater good,' they said. But in the end, I realized the truth: people are just tools, weapons wielded by those with the strength to do so. Lies are what keep this world spinning."
Bee frowned but said nothing. Naruto's fists clenched as he listened, his anger slowly giving way to pity.
"That's when I met him—Madara Uchiha, or at least, the man who claimed to be him. He showed me the grand illusion of this world. He spoke of the Moon's Eye Plan, of a world where lies could be erased, where pain could be obliterated. For a man like me, who'd seen nothing but betrayal and bloodshed, it was... enticing."
"You're insane," Yugito said coldly. "All you've done is spread more pain and more suffering in his name."
Kisame chuckled. "Maybe. But at least I knew my role in this world. I was the blade in the dark, the silent killer who bore the burden so others wouldn't have to. That is a shinobi's true purpose."
Guy, who had remained quiet, finally spoke. "A life of deception and blood doesn't justify what you've done, Kisame. There's always another way."
"Spoken like a man who's never had to kill his own friends," Kisame shot back, his grin faltering for the first time.
Naruto stepped forward, his blue eyes blazing. "You could've changed! You didn't have to follow someone like Madara. You could've been better!"
"Maybe, kid. But for someone like me, there's no redemption." Kisame's grin returned, but this time it was tinged with sadness, an emotion that seemed out of place on his fearsome face.
Before anyone could react, Kisame bit his thumb and slammed it against the ground. A summoning circle appeared, and water surged outward. A dome of liquid expanded rapidly from Kisame's mouth, encompassing him and his interrogators. The dome expanded into a sphere that encompassed the nearby area, depositing directly into the nearby bay.
"What the—?" Naruto shouted, his chakra cloak flaring as he struggled against the swirling current.
Within the water prison, two sharks materialized. One swam toward Kisame, while the other darted toward the ocean, a scroll clutched in its jaws.
"No!" Yugito shouted, but the shark was too fast, disappearing into the vast blue.
Naruto, Bee, and Guy moved to intercept the remaining shark, but Kisame laughed, a guttural, haunting sound that echoed within the watery prison. "You're too late. My message is already on its way. And as for me..."
The remaining shark swam toward Kisame, its jaws opening wide. Naruto's eyes widened in horror as he realized what was about to happen.
"Kisame, don't—!" Naruto shouted, but it was too late.
The shark clamped down on Kisame, tearing into him with merciless efficiency. Blood clouded the water as the life faded from Kisame's eyes, but his grin remained, defiant even in death.
The water prison collapsed, leaving the four shinobi standing on the ocean's surface, drenched and stunned. The sea was calm again, as if nothing had happened.
Naruto stared at the spot where Kisame had been, his fists trembling. "Why? Why would he...?"
"He made his choice, Naruto. It's over." Yugito placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression grim.
Bee sighed, his usual levity absent. "A sad way to go, for a man who lived in the shadows, ya know?"
Guy crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. "Even in death, he was loyal to his cause. We should be prepared—whatever message he sent, it will surely reveal the location of you three to his master, this Madara."
Naruto clenched his fists tighter. "I won't let his death—no matter how twisted he and it both were—be in vain. We'll stop whatever Madara's planning."
As the group began their trek back to the island, the weight of Kisame's final act lingered in their hearts, a grim reminder of the battles yet to come.